Iron Will
by PaBurke
Summary: Faith and Tony have a lot in common. Right now, they’re both hurt.
1. Chapter 1

Iron Will

By PaBurke

Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Iron Man

Rating: teen for language

Summary: Faith and Tony have a lot in common. Right now, they're both hurt.

AN: An odd little depressing short that had been part of a dream.

*

When Faith woke up, she realized several things right off the bat: One, she was in the infirmary. Two, Buffy was sitting in the visitor's chair reading through some official paperwork. Three, she hurt like hell. So they must have survived the latest apocalypse. That was good. She relaxed until she remembered bits-n-parts of the battle. Then she shot upright… and immediately regretted it.

"Quit hurting yourself," Buffy muttered. Her words were Slayer soft.

"Tony?" Faith breathed. "There was a guy…"

Buffy pointed her pen at the prone figure in the infirmary bed behind her. Faith couldn't see much, but since no one was hovering and he was in here, that was good news.

"Why was he there?" Buffy asked.

Faith tried to grin. "Met him earlier and he knew how to party like it was the end of the world. When he saw me fighting, he was trying to rescue a damsel in distress."

"He nearly got you killed." Unforgiveness laced Buffy's words.

Faith knew the role reversal unnerved many of the Scoobies but she shrugged it off. "Points for having his heart in the right place."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "In his pants?"

Faith laughed. "Oh, ouch. Don't crack jokes like that. Ouch."

"Serves you right," said Buffy. "You nearly died keeping him alive."

"But we're all alive, right?"

Buffy looked at her and Faith knew that they had lost some mini-slayers.

"Who?" she asked.

"Robin Borlaug and Canyon Carson." Part of the Hippie Squad. River, Irish, Autumn and Flying Eagle were probably heartbroken. She was partial to the girls and their noun-names. Faith tried to remember where they had been stationed.

"Did they… coming after me?"

Buffy shook her head. "No. That was my crew."

"Thanks, by the way." Faith looked over at the buff guy on the other gurney. "Have you contacted his people?"

"No family."

"He's got an assistant." Faith shook her head. "I can't remember her name but she'd fit in with the Hippie Squad."

"Pepper Potts." Buffy obviously had had someone doing her dirty work.

"Yeah her. She'd probably help us if we get her here."

"Already hacked his medical records and we're keeping him under so that he doesn't make things worse."

Faith knew that their doctors didn't dare force Slayers in a coma since they fought it with every breath. That was part of the reason she woke up first. "We have to let him wake up sometime." Faith flashed a grin. "We could see if he throws a really good 'We-survived-the-end-of-the-world' Party."

"He's not going to be throwing any parties for a while."

"That's what the assistant is for," Faith countered.

Buffy stared at her, making her say it.

"B, please go get his assistant."

"Will you stay in bed while I'm gone?"

Non-negotiable damnit. "I promise."

Buffy nodded and gathered her things. Faith watched her go and settled in her bed. She'd be here for a little while.

*


	2. Chapter 2

**Iron Will II**

Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Iron Man

Rating: teen for language

Summary: Faith and Tony have a lot in common. Right now, they're both hurt and have friends that care for them.

*btvs*im*

The tiny niggling worry in the back of Pepper's brain burst forth at the sight of 'Natalie Rushman' reporting for work. If SHIELD was so worried about Tony's disappearance that they were re-activating an old cover for the Black Widow to be playing bodyguard, Tony could be dead and the Iron Man suit could be in anyone's possession. Thankfully, Nat acted as if nothing was wrong, so Pepper could compartmentalize JARVIS's inability to pinpoint Tony's last known whereabouts and concentrate on Stark Industries.

Be that as it may, when Natalie escorted a tiny, well-dressed blonde into Pepper's office without an appointment, the CEO's first thought was, "Tony?"

"Alive," the woman grumbled as she sat in the visitor's chair uninvited. The Widow leaned against the front edge of Pepper's desk facing the stranger. It looked casual, but it was so out of character for Natalie Rushman's created profile that Pepper knew that this woman was a lot more dangerous that she appeared. The Widow was making herself a physical barrier between the stranger and Pepper. The woman pulled an iPad out of her purse, activated it and handed it to the Widow. Nat accepted it, glanced at the screen and handed it back to Pepper, only taking her eyes off the stranger for that split second. Pepper's breath caught when she saw Tony hooked up to machines and tubes, but breathing on his own. "He's in our infirmary. We brought him home during battle clean-up." For that act alone, Pepper would offer her as many Stark computers as she wanted, below cost.

"Tell me where to land the plane and I'll take him off your hands immediately," Pepper offered.

"Do you have a treatment for Ryrrvech venom?" The woman sounded annoyed at the rhetorical question.

Pepper had never heard of such a thing, but surely the best doctors that she could buy would be able to…

Nat spoke. "I was unaware that an effective counter agent existed." If the Widow didn't know than SHIELD didn't know…

"It helps that he's a magic-null like his father."

Pepper blinked at the information. Magic-null? And this woman would not have been born before Howard Stark died. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Buffy Summers," Nat introduced, "Virginia Potts, power of attorney for Tony Stark. Pepper, Ms. Summers is the battlefield leader of an organization based in England."

Pepper wasted a moment on Ms. Summers' decidedly American accent. "Ms. Summers, thank you for rescuing Tony, any bills accrued should be sent directly to me."

"The dumb-ass injected himself into a fight that he didn't understand and nearly got one of my people killed."

Pepper refused to wince at typical Tony. This was going to be expensive. "Yes, well."

Summers wasn't done. "He also distracted the enemy long enough that one of my squads wasn't completely obliterated. The one who saved his ass got hurt and is asking for a Stark party when both of them are up to it."

Pepper blinked, waiting for more demands. When none were forthcoming, she leaned forward with a genuine smile. "Of course, where would be most convenient for you, Malibu? Or England?" she guessed based on JARVIS' calculations.

Summers wrinkled her nose. It was so unprofessional that Pepper ignored it for later. "Faith will want to show some skin and it's cold in England this month, so Malibu."

"Wonderful. The thirtieth?"

Summers nodded and stood. "Sure. You'll get Tony and his suit back in two weeks. Natasha, SHIELD is not invited to the party. Make sure Fury knows it."

Pepper wasn't terribly surprised that Summers knew the Widow's true name, occupation and boss. "I'll have several Stark jets waiting in Heathrow for all of our guests on the twenty-ninth," she offered.

"Works for me." She leaned over Pepper's desk to shake hands and Nat stilled ever so much. Pepper ignored the implied threat assessment and gave Summers an honest smile.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you."

"You too."

"About the suit," Pepper began. After all it was a dangerous weapon and the intellectual property of Stark Industries.

Summers shook her head. "It's as much about your protection as Andrew's geeking out. We're still trying to get all of the venom off it. A second exposure could kill Stark."

Pepper opened her mouth to argue, but Nat shook her head slightly. SHIELD wasn't worried about it being left in Summers' hands for an extended time period. They could trust Summers or they could trust Tony's computer security.

"Very well. Please do send me a bill. I am well aware of the cost of hazardous clean-up."

Summers agreed before leaving. She was barely out the door before Pepper grabbed the two nearest tumblers and Natasha's preferred vodka. "Start talking," she ordered.

*btvs*im*


End file.
